When a hybrid achieves solely a 4-mpg achieve over its donor-engine counterpart, it could not appear worthwhile, however in a pickup like the brand new Ford F-150, boosting the three.5-liter truck’s gas financial system by Four mpg is a 20 % enchancment. That is nothing to sneeze at. And when stated hybrid runs simply as easily as that EcoBoost pickup and offers practically as stellar payload and towing capacities, why not make your gallons stretch slightly additional?
Debuting within the refreshed-for-2021 F-150, the PowerBoost hybrid pairs Ford’s twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V-6 with a 47-hp electrical motor, making this the highest-output powertrain within the present F-150 lineup. (Ford has but to put out what’s underneath the hood of the 2021 Raptor, which can virtually definitely outmuscle this.) The motor is sandwiched between the engine and the standard 10-speed automated, whereas a 1.5-kWh lithium-ion battery tucks underneath the mattress. The battery could appear a bit small for a car of this measurement, however Ford selected it as a result of it is easy to bundle and less expensive than bigger packs, and its weight will not significantly affect the all-important towing and payload capacities. Mixed output for this powertrain is a stout 430 horses and 570 pound-feet of torque—good points of 30 ponies and 70 pound-feet versus the up to date nonhybrid EcoBoost 3.5-liter.
At 5794 kilos, our four-wheel-drive Lariat weighed 200 kilos greater than the final F-150 Restricted we reviewed, but its stable 5.4-second run to 60 mph means it is fleeter than most half-ton vans. In actual fact, that is the quickest time we have recorded for a contemporary F-150 that wasn’t powered by Ford’s EcoBoost 450-hp V-6. Plus, the max payload and towing capacities for the hybrid are spectacular, at 2120 and 12,700 kilos, respectively.
The motor is not designed to supply significant acceleration by itself, nevertheless it does permit for brief durations of electrical cruising at low speeds. Transitions from fuel to electrical energy are virtually imperceptible, as is the changeover from regenerative to friction braking. The hybrid scores 24 mpg on the EPA’s mixed cycle, Four mpg greater than a daily EcoBoost 3.5 F-150 manages.
Minor tweaks to the truck’s chassis and suspension maintain it quiet and composed, though tough pavement can elicit an occasional shudder from the leaf-spring rear axle. We significantly just like the tight, direct motion of the brand new variable-assist steering that is commonplace on the flamboyant King Ranch mannequin and above, however the usual rack on our Lariat mannequin wasn’t as sharp and required extra handwork at slower speeds. Relying on how you utilize a pickup, the hybrid’s most transformative function could also be its onboard generator system. It makes use of the engine to show the motor, which offers as much as a considerable 7.2 kilowatts of electrical energy to retailers within the mattress.
Hybrid or not, the F-150 is way improved when it comes to inside execution and supplies, significantly on lower-level trims. Spec the Inside Work Floor and, with the truck in park, you possibly can stow the shift lever flat within the middle console, making room for a fold-out worktable that transforms the entrance row into an efficient cellular workplace. The non-compulsory 12.0-inch digital gauge cluster is crisply rendered and straightforward to navigate. The usual 8.0-inch middle touchscreen might be upgraded to a slick 12.0-inch unit. Each run Ford’s Sync Four infotainment software program, which is able to wi-fi connectivity and over-the-air updates.
The hybrid possibility might be had on any F-150 crew cab for a considerably cheap $2500 to $4495, relying on the trim stage. That equates to base costs of $42,840 to $77,845. The good points that the setup offers in regard to gas financial system do not make this huge pickup right into a Prius, however they’re appreciable percentage-wise, and the system works seamlessly and calls for little or no compromise from F-150 patrons.
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